Morning Coffee
by Gillen1962
Summary: The end of BOOK ONE in this Alt-GH. Two old residents of Port Charles share a cup of coffee. We check in on our cast. Kelly's is under new management: Lucky and Soumia get a house guest: Ethan has Halloween plans: Sam starts her new job. And there is a New Construction Company in town


_Morning Coffee_

**Present:**

Over the past month Sonny Corinthos had learned to live with the Ghosts which followed him. For a while he had hoped that his renewed commitment to his medication and therapy would make them leave. Now he had come to accept that they never would. He judged how his day was going by who was along for his walks. Deke his monstrous stepfather meant a bad day all around. Karen Wexler meant a day where he was slipping into old bad habits. Emily was always there when he spent time with his kids or grandkids, something he tried to do more now then in the past. Stone was right next to him when he dealt with the people who worked for him. And Claudia, a new Ghost over the past few days was there when he did business. Unlike the others Claudia never spoke, her jaw was still shattered from where Michael had hit her with a shovel. Lilly was still with him the most, always trying to make him be a better man, always trying to find ways to help him redeem himself

Today as he sat on the bench at the end of Pier 23 watching the sun come up, he had the rare combination of Lilly and Claudia, perhaps because today was the first day of doing old business in a New way.

As Sonny watched the sun come up a hand put a large cup of coffee in front of him. He reached up and took at it without looking who gave it to him. He took a sip. "This is good." He said. "Truth? Better than mine was."

Mac Scorpio pulled the zipper of his PCPD jacket up and sat down next to Sonny. He had a large cup of coffee himself and a brown paper bag. "Wait till you taste this baklava." He said. "Jason did us all a favor this time."

Mac looked at Sonny and saw the crow's feet around his eyes and the gray in his hair. He stroked his own beard, now almost all gray. He and Sonny had grown old together in this city they both loved in such different ways.

Mac reached in the bag and took out two large pieces of baklava. He handed one to Sonny who took a bite.

"Oh, yeah." Sonny said. "Reminds me of this little Greek place in Astoria that my mom would take me to when I was a kid. Not often mind you, she didn't like to leave Brooklyn but maybe three times a year."

Mac nodded. "Like I said Jason did us all a good turn this time."

"I love Sam." Sonny said. "But Jason did himself a good turn this time."

**Four Weeks Earlier:**

Jason paced the small apartment of Rovena Krasniqi and her father Nini. The old man was distraught. He and the girl were yelling at each other in Albanian while Jason and Sam McCall tried their best to figure out what was up.

Finally, the old man looked at Jason. "I appreciate you coming to try to help my daughter, but you must go now."

"Babi" Rovena said. "Jason can stay. Shehu is dead there is nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about!" The old man shouted. "How ignorant are you child, you think he has no family. No heir, no one who will avenge him?"

"Sir" Jason said. "I see your point, but we have spoken with our family back in Port Charles and Shehu's number two man is also dead. I think, from my experience that there will be a power struggle here for a while, which should put you on the back burner."

"See we are safe" Rovena said.

Sam shook her head. "I would not go that far. I would think that at least till the smoke clears the person who brings the head of the girl who killed Shehu in will gain a lot of respect."

Jason had to reluctantly admit that she was right. Sam looked at him. She had loved him for so many years, to see him torn over what to do concerning his new love, broke her heart. She knew him well enough to know that he was calculating the safest places to for the girl and he to go. Sam also knew Jason well enough to know he was not thinking beyond the two of them. For more then two decades the only extended family Jason ever had to consider was Sonny's. He never calculated the danger he placed the Quartermaine's or Sam's own family in, they were just not part of where his brain, damaged beyond repair with blown frontal lobes, could consider.

Sam however could see that this girl was not going anywhere without her Father and that they old man was no longer young enough for life on the run.

As the father and daughter began to yell at each other again in Albanian. She touched Jason's arm and motioned him to the side.

"You have to take them both back to Port Charles. It is the only place safe enough for them. Surrounded by us, the remains of Sonny's organizations, the PCPD and a whole new group of WSB agents, it really is the only choice."

Jason looked uneasy. "Sam, I agree we can keep them safe there, but I am not looking to become involved in all that mess again."

"Then don't." She said. "I agree with you, I myself have no intention of doing so. I took the new job with Ava for exactly that reason."

"What would they do there?" Jason said.

Sam smiled. "I have an idea. I heard a rumor."

**Present:**

Mac sipped his coffee. "Good turn for sure Nini and his daughter, are the perfect people to run Kelly's. That man can cook, and Lulu mentioned to Maxie that the books have not been in such good order since Ruby's days."

Sonny nodded. "With them living upstairs and Jason right across the hall, and your officers keeping an eye on the place, I think for the foreseeable future they are pretty good."

"And Jason and you?"

Sonny smiled and for now changed the subject. "The veterans center and art gallery are a great addition to town."

"Yes, they are. Serena 's project is a boon"

**Four Weeks Earlier:**

Serena had to admit that she like the Floating Rib better as a casual bar and grill then in its previous incarnation as a stuffy, or at least to her six-year-old self, stuffy dinner/lunch place.

Kevin and Lucy were already sitting in a booth when she came in, her Father Scotty, right on her heels. She turned and kissed him "Hi Dad"

"Hi" He said surly.

Serena laughed. "Are you going to ask me if I had a good time last night?"

She had had an extraordinarily good time last night, having woken up just a few hours ago next to Drew Cain in his California King bed in the North Wing of the Quartermaine mansion.

"No. I am not" Scotty said as they slipped into the both with Kevin and Lucy.

"Not what?" Lucy asked.

"Ask me if I had a good time last night?" Serena said smiling at her mother.

Lucy grinned. "I bet you did; Drew is the bomb and waking up at the Q mansion is just the best."

Kevin shook his head. "Do Scott and I need to hear this?"

"You didn't happen to see my red dress, did you?" Lucy asked.

"Please stop." Scotty begged.

"No, sorry, I didn't but why did you never tell me about Breakfast there? Does Cook stay up all night preparing those pastries?"

"Can we PLEASE talk about why we're here." Scotty said then stopped and looked away. "Or about anything else."

The foursome all looked at each other and then look away.

Finally, Lucy spook. "Serena were you the last to here from Christina?'

"She wants to be called Livvie now, Mom."

Scotty shuddered. "That is insane."

"Scott" Kevin snapped.

"Ahh you know what I mean. "

Serena shook her head. "I saw her every so often when I was stationed in Germany. But once I got transferred to Saudi, she stopped contacting me all together. I…. I want…. I wish there was some way I could say all this."

Kevin reached over and patted his one-time stepdaughter's hand. "Serena none of what happened to Livvie is your fault."

"No, it is all mine." Said Lucy. "It was my obsession with vampires and Angels and all of that stuff that made her start to act out."

"We can pass blame around all day. "Kevin said. "I should never have confronted her about her imaginary older sister."

"Livvie" said Serena. "Which is who she 'named" herself after, when she joined the Vampire group in Paris."

"Oh, for Pete's sake, they are not vampires, they're just a group of Goth Kids acting out." Scotty said.

Serena patted her father's arm. "Its more than that Dad, they even have people who volunteer to let them drink their blood."

Scotty shook his head. "Ahh Jesus."

"That would be Catholics" Serena said.

Her parents looked at her

"What too soon?" She laughed and they did as well.

"Okay, Serena makes a good point with her humor. As much as we miss her, as much as I may have mishandled this, Livvie, is not in a cult, these people she is hanging out with are different, but they don't require her to separate from her family or anything like that." Kevin said.

"The why isn't she here and why hasn't she contacted any of us" Lucy said.

Serena shrugged. "Truth, you three didn't handle her lifestyle choice well. And, well when the army shipped me out, I think she thought I was abandoning her. Then I got caught up in all the Anaconda stuff so I couldn't really tell her what I was doing. I think she just feels we abandoned her."

"I have tried calling her" Scott said. "It just goes to voice mail."

"Kevin and I have the same problem" Lucy said.

Serena nodded. "Lately me as well."

"So" Said Lucy "it seems there is only one thing to do. Head to Paris." She clapped her hands.

"No" said Kevin.

"What?" Lucy said.

"Two things, it was the three of us who handled this badly. If we go, she may not talk to us, she may even bolt. And Two, it was all of our matrimony shakes ups and breaks ups that helped contribute to her choices, we can't go there now, with Scott involved with Bobbie again and me Married to Laura."

"And her mother becoming an old crone" Lucy said sadly

"Ahh Mr. Right is right around the corner Mom"

"Any way Said Kevin. "I think Serena is our best bet. If you can get a few days leave."

"Give me a week or so to make sure the Center is up and running and I should be able to get five days. After all I'm the golden girl right now, they love me."

"I will book you a flight." Said Scotty.

"Or" said Lucy smiling and putting her hands together "You can see if Drew wants to go and take the ELQ jet."

"I am sure that Drew does not want to see France." Scotty said.

Serena started to laugh and held it in as she sing songed "I see London, I see France, I see Serena's …."

"ENOUGH" Snapped Scott as they all smiled.

**Present**:

"So, other than good coffee was there a particular reason for this get together, this week, Mac?" Sonny asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about your new business venture."

"Corinthos Construction." Sonny said smiling.

Mac chuckled. "I never thought I would say this Sonny, but giving in to a Mob stereotype? Really?"

Sonny actually chuckled. "What can I say Mac, I still had the union contacts, Shehu whatever it is he thought he was doing was never interested in the Gray areas of the Business just the black. And I needed to make a living I got kids to support. You know that drill."

**Three Weeks Earlier:**

"So, this is over?" Maxie said to Nina.

"I'm afraid so Maxie, once Alexandria Quartermaine revealed herself at the Hayes Opening, there was just no reason to continue your undercover assignment."

"But Lucky was telling me that the David Gray guy who made Carly and I the offer was the same David Gray who was in Port Charles years ago. He is supposed to be dead. Isn't that something?"

"Not in Port Charles, Dear.' Nina said sadly. "Around here being dead at least once seems to be a requirement."

Maxie looked sad. "Okay."

Nina shook her head. "You liked being a designer, didn't you?"

"It's fine" said Maxie.

"No, it is not, you should be able to pursue your dreams. You know that Crimson and Aurora cannot be your backer, too many conflicts of interest if we do…but…."

Maxie's eyes lit up. "But?"

"But I suppose I could ask Valentin if he would like to invest in Deception. I mean he and the other big wigs are pouring a ton of money into town, maybe a design house is just what Port Charles is looking for"

Maxie leapt up and down with glee.

Across town at the office of the Port Charles Intruder Peter August sat across his desk from Lulu Falconeri.

"I have a story for you" He said to her.

"Me? Are you sure you did not mean to call Molly in?" Lulu said.

Peter Shook his head. "Again, and for the last time, Molly is a reporter, she has and will continue to bring me breaking news stories. You Lulu are an investigative Journalist, your stories are longer, more detailed. Please do not make this a competition."

Lulu sighed. "Fine what is the assignment."

"I want you to investigate me."

"You? Haven't I done that before?"

Peter chuckled. "Yes, on some level you did. Look, there are things I never asked about when I was with Faision and I think I need to get some answers about those things "

"Like what?" Lulu asked.

"Like where did Faision get all the money for all his operations?"

"Well he tried to extort it from this city a few times."

"And failed." Peter said. "And yet we had a small army on payroll watching Jason for five years."

"And you never asked."

"One does not simply walk up to Caesar Fasion and ask a question. It is just not done." Said Peter with a smirk.

Kristina looked around Charlie's Pub unsure of whether she was ready to be back or not. Her mother Alexis Davis noticed her hesitancy. "If you are not ready honey, that is fine."

"Is it?" Kristina asked.

"We can go home; I can take you to your Dad's. Or we can just go and get some dinner."

"What if we were poor?" Kristina asked.

"Excuse me?" Alexis replied.

"What if I needed to be at work or we wouldn't make the rent?"

"But that is not the case honey." Alexis said.

Kristina smiled. "But if it were, I would need to come to work if I was ready or, not right?'

Alexis had no idea how to answer that. Kristina notice. And shook her head. "But If I were Molly, you would have no trouble with that analogy, would you? In fact, you would use it or something similar to push her on out and make her confront her fears."

"Kristina that is not true."

"It is." Kristina said biting her lower lip. "You push Molly. Or you did. You never pushed me."

Alexis had no idea how to answer that.

"You think I am weaker than her." Kristina said.

"I think that all three of my girls are amazingly strong."

"But Sam doesn't do drugs. She battles drug kingpins. And Molly doesn't get raped she poisons mobsters."

"You are just as strong as Sam and Molly." Alexis said.

Kristina shook her head. "No, I am not." She kissed her Mother on the cheek and grabbed an apron from the side of the bar heading towards the back. She thought to herself. "No, I am not as strong as Molly, yet. But I will be and then I will get that little bitch."

Lucky Spencer yelled into his headset. He had just watched his oldest Son Cameron take heavy fire across the wide field where the battle raged. He was pinned down. He had leapt up and nearly got his head blown off. "Come on guys watch my six." He said to his other sons Jake and Aidan. His on-line Call of Duty Team was losing badly. Lucky's avatar popped up again and this time all the fire centered on him.

"And that's it. I'm out." He said to the boys who were across town in various rooms of their Mother's house. He heard the front door open and said. "I'll be back guys."

His girl friend Dr. Soumia Al-Fayheed, his fellow WSB Agent Annie Donnelly and his ex-wife Elizabeth Webber walked in, followed very hesitantly by Nisida, the troubled young girl that his son Cameron had saved from the wraith of Sonny Corinthos.

"Come on Pretty-Baby, I'll show you your room." Annie said as she grabbed Nisida's hand and dragged her up the floating staircase.

"Her room?" Lucky said.

"Sit down, Love" Said Soumia.

It was never a good sign when she asked him to sit down. He sat on the couch and Elizabeth and Soumia sat on either side of him. Soumia tucked a stray hair into her hijab and smiled. Liz patted his leg and smiled

"No." He said.

"Lucky, where else is she going to go?" Elizabeth said.

"What's wrong with your house?" He asked. "You have a spare room too."

"It is not appropriate for her to remain at Elizabeth's house. She and Cameron are what is the American expression "Crushing" on each other." Soumia said.

"So?" Lucky commented. "I'm crushing on you."

"And we are adults, who, soon if you know what is good for you, will be getting a nightcap." Soumia said "And we find this as it is stressful."

"Nightcap?" Elizabeth asked.

"Don't ask" Lucky commented. "Okay what about sending her back to Carly, Sonny isn't going to hurt her."

Elizabeth shook her head. "The fact that Michael and Josslyn are nice normal people, is not a reason to suddenly think that Carly is a responsible parent."

"I'm not a responsible parent!" Lucky said. "I just got all three boys shot playing call of duty."

"It's a video game Lucky." Soumia said.

Lucky looked at Elizabeth and pleaded. "I talk to rocks. I sit in cemeteries and talk to rocks."

"You used to" Elizabeth said.

"I can start again."

Elizabeth looked at Soumia shook her head and smiled. "No, you can't, she won't let you. Face it Lucky this is happening."

She got up and headed for the door.

"We're Spies" Lucky said. "This is a house full of espionage agents"

As Elizabeth got to the door she said. "And she is Eastern European, how perfect is that. TTFN. I'll drop her stuff off in an hour or so."

"I think we should get a puppy as well." Soumia said.

"Foster."

"What?"

"We either change her name to Foster or we name the dog Foster, up to you."

She leaned in and kissed him.

**Present:**

"The truth is Mac, in order to rebuild things with my family. I need this project, and with Jax and ELQ and others pouring money into this city, well Construction is booming. Have you seen the big cranes downtown?"

Mac nodded. "I have. I don't know that it will be enough."

Claudia cracked her neck right in front of Sonny. "What can I say Mac. Is that my fault or yours?" He said without malice. "I kept drugs and other vices out of this city, now, it will be just like anywhere else, the tide of addiction will ebb and flow, your cops will be hard pressed and city services will be stretched."

"I cannot deny that some of what you say is true, but it also kept Port Charles a child, the city itself could not expand because there was no commitment to the city by its industry. Now Jax and Michael are building a rehab center at GH, Valentin Cassadine is opening a new software development firm downtown, Aurora Print Media has brought home to the city all it's printing and production, Aurora online media is expanding."

"I understand Drew has his eye on the Intruder. Think August will sell?"

"Maybe, maybe not. But things are happening business wise like never before.

**Two weeks Earlier**:

Ava Jerome was enjoying her new gallery, the veteran artist in Franco's art studio were not turning out prize winning work, but they were attracting family and friends to the gallery and larger more famous pieces were moving.

Her phone buzzed and she looked at the text from Robert. "New Management at Kelly's I hear they have Moussaka, care to join me for some?"

She looked around the gallery, she would love to, but it was just too busy. But she had a good idea. "I'm stuck here, but can you get a takeout order and bring it to my apartment tonight for dinner, say around Seven, after I know Avery is sleeping?"

She could see the twinkle in the Port Charles D.A.'s eye as she read his text "Now that sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll eat lunch at my desk so as not to spoil my appetite. I'll see you tonight luv.'

"Till tonight then luv" she texted back both affectionally and with tongue in cheek over his speech patterns

She shook her head. Her and Robert Scorpio, who would have thought it. Certainly not her brother Julian or Robert's ex-wife Anna neither of whom were not enjoying this relationship at all. Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Sam McCall "Sam, ready to get to work?"

Sam nodded. "Already have been working Ava, the Sword of Iskandar's journey is interesting. It left here with the Prince of Malkooth when Luke killed David Gray. But it was only back in that country for three years when there was a revolt and the Monarchy was replaced with a parliamentary government."

"I knew that much; the Sword was lost in the riots before the change."

"Well that is what everyone thought. I have a lead that says the sword ended up in the hands of a private collector. "

"Who?"

"See that is where it gets interesting, my source says it was with Leopold Taub for several years"

"The guy who owned this building before Serena?"

"Yes, then with his death it ended up in the hands of Caesar Fasion of all people."

"That makes some sense" said Ava. "Weren't they partners for a little bit."

"Yes, exactly" Sam said. "When Fasion passed it somehow ended up in the hands of a Hilton Vandergeld."

"Who? How?" Ava said.

"My source had no idea. But I did some checking and Hilton Vandergeld is the great-grandson of Austin Vandergeld, whose sister Edith became Edith Reeves."

"Reeves?"

"Yes, she is Nina's paternal great grandmother."

"So, this guy has the Sword?" Ava asked.

"If he does, he is hiding it, for some reason."

"Where is he" Ava asked.

"Algiers"

Ava looked. "North Africa?"

Sam smiled. "No, the west bank of the Mississippi in Orleans Parish Louisiana."

Ava nodded. "So, when are you leaving?"

"A few more days. I want to go down with as much information as possible. Plus, Halloween is coming, using the cover of all the parties that are held throughout the Parish during that time would be helpful."

Ethan Lovett watched his new manager Donald Murray supervise the loading and unloading of the beverage shipment. Ethan was pleased. The kid, who was likely a year or two older than Ethan was doing a great job. And Luke's Blues Club at the Haunted Star was booming as a business. Just three weeks into opening and he had made his first loan re-payment to Drew for his initial investment.

He poured himself a glass of juice and looked over POS manual. Terry Randolph the Chief of Pediatric Oncology at General Hospital came strolling in. There were few sights now a days that Ethan liked better than the good doctors' long legs.

"Whoever the new guy is he is a whirlwind man, he's out there pulling crates off the truck himself."

"New Back of House Manager" Ethan said.

"Nice. He the reason you texted Annie and I to come over?"

"No, I have an offer for the two of you." Ethan said smiling. "There is a Jazz and Blues Feast in New Orleans the week leading up to Halloween. I got an invite from an old friend to the meet and greet backstage, he thinks I can book talent for the Club through the summer from just this trip."

"Yea but miss the first Halloween at the new club?"

"No, we will get back into town the day before. We'll get real New Orleans Costumes while we are down there. Lulu agreed to step in, she has managed the Star before, and Lucky will help out, between them and the new guy we will be fine for a smashing Halloween party"

"You said 'we'" Said Terry. "Is that an invite?"

"Yeah I wanted to know if you and Annie would like to tag along."

Terry began to laugh. "Ethan? You just invited a trans woman to New Orleans for Halloween, this is my lifelong dream."

"Think Annie will say yes?"

Terry was laughing even harder. "Bourbon street, selfies of her flashing her tatas. How could she turn that down?"

Sly Eckhart handed Mayor Laura Webber yet another chart. "As you can see this plan saves the city millions of dollars which then can be routed into other areas, while not reducing the quality of education at all."

Laura rubbed her eyes. "Sly, I want to be open minded about the privatization of our school system, but the person who is funding Copperhead, is Alexandria Quartermaine. I find it hard to believe that she is being altruistic."

"That may be the case, but two things one under the city charter this would need to go to open bid and then a referendum, there is no guarantee that Copperhead would get the bid or win the vote and Two: In all of the paper work it is very clear, that Alexandria is simply an investor the system itself would be run on a day to day by Brooke Bentley and her assistant Jenny Hutchinson."

"Wonderful Scotty's long-lost sister who left town under very odd circumstances forty years ago and a girl who recites by biography to me every time I met her."

Mayor, it is a good move for the city, but if you feel that your personal feelings will make it too difficult, then we can just scrape and find the money for the jail expansion and the GH rehabilitation staffing elsewhere."

"No, we convinced Valentin to fund the expansion, in a semi-public -private project and Jax and ELQ are doing the same with the center. We cannot keep asking people to invest in the city if the city itself is not willing to try new innovations."

"So? Prepare a presentation for the city council?" Sly asked.

"Yes."

Sly was about to say something else when there was a knock on the door. Lucky popped his head in "Mom, you got a minute? Hey cuz, how are you?"

Sly smiled, Lucky had been his childhood best friend. "I'm good Lucky, when are we going to do lunch?"

"How about a week from today, I should have big things to chat about then."

"Great" Sly looked ta Laura.

She smiled. "Go Sly get the presentation ready. I want to look at it every step of the way okay?"

"Sure thing."

Sly fist bumped Lucky on his way out. "I'll call you Monday and pick a place and time."

"Time we can pick but place, man it's got to be Kelly's the new management has just upped the food there to the max." Lucky said.

"No more BLT."

"Who wants a BLT when you can get a lamb gyro? "

"Good point."

"Okay okay you two are making me hungry" Laura said.

Sly left and Lucky took a seat across from his Mom.

"So, to what do I owe this visit?"

"How are you feeling?" Lucky asked.

Laura smiled. "Still worried about that attack by Alex Devane?"

"It's my job to worry when stuff like that happens in Port Charles, especially when it happens to my Mother."

"I'm fine Lucky. I think that whatever she was planning some how got interrupted. Did Anna ever have any luck tracking her down?'

"Not so far. "Lucky said. "But you are not tired or anything?"

"No!"

"Okay."

"So that was all?" Laura said. Smiling at her son. "Just checking up on your old decrepit Mom?"

"Well, I was wondering. Do you remember some of the stuff that you gave me from when you and Dad were married? The stuff I put in storage in that safety deposit box?"

"Yes."

"Do you have the key to that box?"

Anna Devane could not be more pleased at the progress her goddaughter Annie was making as an agent. She watched through the glass window in the interrogation room they had borrowed from the PCPD as she spoke with Sinclair Dunbar.

"Scurvy, you cannot expect us to just give you a blanket pardon in exchange for a vague statement about something being up."

"No pardon, no talking, sorry baby." Dunbar said.

"Tell you what, I am prepared to offer you a free pass on the scheme you pulled down in Miami, if you start talking."

"Ha."

"Well then stalemate, mate" Annie said getting up. "Good luck."

"That's it? You are just going to let me walk?"

Annie nodded. "Yep. Oh wait." She walked over to the door opposite where Anna stood and opened it. "Hiya Princess Pop Tart."

Molly Cassadine smiled broadly at her friend. Anna Devane was interested in Annie's friendship with Molly, more and more something in that girl put Anna ill at ease. The death of Donal Hasanpapa apparently of a heart attack in Kristina Davis' hospital room just a few weeks ago stuck in Anna's throat. Still she had to admit this was an interesting play on Annie's part.

"Scurvy, this is Molly Cassadine, yep those Cassadines, she is a reporter for the local paper, I thought maybe since you were down here at the police station chatting with us, you may want to chat with her."

Sinclair looked ashen. "You will get me killed."

"Gee, sorry about that."

Annie began to walk out of the room as Molly said. "Mr. Dunbar let me start"

"Start with nothing." Sinclair shouted. "Annie!"

Annie popped her head back in. "Yes?"

"Alexandria Quartermain wants to recreate the ice princess."

Annie looked at Molly. "See I told you there would be a story."

"A good one."

"You can't print that" Said Dunbar.

"Not yet we can't "Molly said. "But give me time."

**Present:**

Mac finished his Baklava and wiped his hands on a napkin. "Sonny, there are things we need to say."

Sonny nodded. "I know Mac."

"Things are never going to go back to the way they were."

"Again, not my fault." Sonny said. Karen stood in front of him and shook her head. "Well, let me be fair, I did let my life and business get out of hand."

"Good to hear you admit that Sonny. "Mac said. "Look we are not friends never will be, but I always felt we respected each other."

"When I held the balance of power we did." Sonny said. "Does the same apply now?"

"Within reason. Sonny, I have more than enough evidence to put you away for a long long time. But we made an agreement and you are living up to it."

Sonny swished some coffee around in his mouth and then spit it out. " Yeah I am. I go to one on one therapy and therapy groups for what I did. I have an officer of the court with me when I see Avery and Jax comes over when Carly brings Joss by."

Carly isn't living back home?" Mac said

"Not yet."

"I am sorry for that."

"You want to ask about Jason and my new business."

"Yes." Mac said, "Does he have a role?"

"He has to, we are 50/50 partners, I will handle the back office, getting new contracts and the unions. Jason will be onsite; a lot of the rank and file construction guys won't work with me now. "

Mac took a deep breath "Jason seems happy. Don't drag him into unhappiness."

"I will try not to." Sonny got up. "You know I need to put a sign on my door at Halloween. "

"You finish your classes a judge may lift that."

"A sign Mac." He walked to the edge of the dock and looked down at the water. "I was Prince of Port Charles, Mac and now I have to put a sign on my door to keep little kids away."

Mac walked over to where Sonny was standing. "You crossed lines"

"And you allowed it." Sonny snapped. "The difference is you and everyone else around here pretend that you don't have the slime from all I did on your hands too."

"Step over the line and I will shut you down Sonny."

"There will be times I have to step over the line Mac, to protect myself, my family and this city. You are welcome to try to shut me down if you catch me."

Mac nodded. He put his hand out and Sonny shook it.

"Same time next week?" Mac asked.

"They make milopita at the new Kelly's?" Sonny asked.

"I think so."

"Bring that." Sonny said as he and his ghosts walked away.


End file.
